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The Bible: I. Authenticity II. Credibility III. Morality

John E. (John Eleazer) Remsburg

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Works by John E. Remsburg

Works by John E. Remsburg

The Bible. A new book about the Bible. The best one of all. Large 12mo. 500 pages. Cloth, $1.25. Postpaid. Christian Sabbath. A small and valuable tract for promiscuous distribution wherever the Sunday bigots are enforcing their Sunday Laws. 3 cents. Decline of Faith. 5 cents. False Claims of the Church. Analyzing and confuting the claims made by churchmen that the Christian church has promoted morality, learning, temperance, science, freedom, and showing how she has opposed progress. Paper, 10

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PREFACE.

PREFACE.

The facts presented in this volume, while known to many Christian scholars, are, as far as possible, kept from the lower orders of the clergy and from the laity. Divines enjoying high honors and large salaries may be cognizant of them without endangering their faith; but the humbler ministers who receive small pay, and the laity who support the church, are liable to have their faith impaired by a knowledge of them. In Part II., devoted to the Credibility of the Bible, less space is given to the

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Sacred Books of India.

Sacred Books of India.

Ramayana. —The Ramayana is one of the great epic poems of the world. It gives the history of Rama, one of the incarnations of the God Vishnu. Mahabharata. —This is another epic poem, a larger one, containing more than 100,000 verses. Like the Ramayana, it is believed to be of divine origin. It has been described as “the great manual of all that is moral, useful, and agreeable.” Institutes of Menu. —Menu is regarded as the law-giver of the Hindoos, as Moses is of the Jews. The Institutes of Menu

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Sacred Books of China.

Sacred Books of China.

The above books, called the Five Kings, are the canonical books of Confucianism, the religion of the educated classes of China. With the exceptions noted, they were mostly written or compiled about 500 B.C. They are considered sacred by the Chinese, but not, like other sacred books, a revelation from God. Confucius recognized no God. His religion is preeminently the religion of this world, and is thus summed up by him: “The observance of the three fundamental laws of relation between sovereign a

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Sacred Books of Persia.

Sacred Books of Persia.

Koran. —The Mohammedans believe that divine revelations were given to Adam, Seth, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, and Mohammed, and that each successive revelation in a measure superseded the preceding one. The books given to Adam, Seth, Enoch, and Abraham have been lost. The Pentateuch, the Psalms, and the Four Gospels are accepted by them, but the interpolations and corruptions of Jews and Christians, they claim, have greatly impaired their value. The Koran is with them the book of books—

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Sacred Books of Islam.

Sacred Books of Islam.

Torah. —The Book of the Law, now commonly called the Pentateuch, is the most sacred of all Jewish books. Jews as well as Christians believe that it was written by Moses and dictated by God. It was not divided into five books as we have it. In the oldest Hebrew manuscripts the entire work forms but one book. It was subsequently divided into parshiyoth , or chapters, and these into sedarim , or sections. Nebiim .—The Law and the Prophets were the chief authorities of the Jews. The books of the Pro

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Sacred Books of the Jews.

Sacred Books of the Jews.

Holy Bible. —The Christian Bible consists of two collections of small books, one called the Old Testament, the other the New Testament. The Old Testament comprises the Torah, Nebiim, and Cethubim of the Jews. It is divided into 39 books (including the Apocryphal books accepted by the Greek and Roman Catholic churches, about 50). The New Testament is a collection of 27 early Christian writings, which originally appeared in the various churches of Asia, Africa and Europe. The Bible is but one of m

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Sacred Book of Christians.

Sacred Book of Christians.

The title Bible, from Ta Biblia , meaning The Book, or more properly The Books, was given to the sacred book of Christians, it is claimed, by Chrysostom in the fifth century. For a period of one hundred and fifty years the sacred books of the Jews alone constituted the Christian Bible. They consisted of the following three collections of books which form the Old Testament. The Law. The Prophets. Hagiographa. To the above thirty-nine books of the Old Testament were subsequently added the followin

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Canonical and Apocryphal Books of the Old and New Testaments.

Canonical and Apocryphal Books of the Old and New Testaments.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy....

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1. Books accepted as canonical and divine by all Jews and Christians.

1. Books accepted as canonical and divine by all Jews and Christians.

Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi....

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2. Books accepted as canonical and divine by a part of the Jews and by all Christians.

2. Books accepted as canonical and divine by a part of the Jews and by all Christians.

Ruth, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Daniel....

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3. Books accepted by a part of the Jews as canonical, but not divine; by most Christians as canonical and divine.

3. Books accepted by a part of the Jews as canonical, but not divine; by most Christians as canonical and divine.

Baruch, Tobit, Judith, Book of Wisdom, Song of the Three Children, History of Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasseh, Ecclesiasticus, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, 5 Maccabees....

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4. Books accepted as canonical by some Jews, and for most part by the Greek and Roman Catholic churches, but rejected by the Protestants.

4. Books accepted as canonical by some Jews, and for most part by the Greek and Roman Catholic churches, but rejected by the Protestants.

Book of the Wars of the Lord, Book of Jasher, Book of the Covenant, Book of Nathan, Book of Gad, Book of Samuel, Prophecy of Ahijah, Visions of Iddo, Acts of Uzziah, Acts of Solomon, Three Thousand Proverbs of Solomon, A Thousand and Five Songs of Solomon, Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, Book of Jehu, Book of Enoch....

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5. Lost books cited by writers of the Bible.

5. Lost books cited by writers of the Bible.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, 1 John....

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6. Books which formed the original canon of the New Testament and which have always been accepted by Christians.

6. Books which formed the original canon of the New Testament and which have always been accepted by Christians.

Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, Revelation....

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7. Books which are now generally accepted by Christians, but which were for a time rejected.

7. Books which are now generally accepted by Christians, but which were for a time rejected.

Shepherd of Hermas, Epistle of Barnabas, 1 Clement, 2 Clement, Paul’s Epistle to Laodiceans, Apostolic Constitutions....

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8. Books now excluded from the canon, but which are found in some of the older manuscripts of the New Testament.

8. Books now excluded from the canon, but which are found in some of the older manuscripts of the New Testament.

Gospel of the Infancy, Protevangelion of James, Acts of Pilate, Nativity of Mary, Fifteen Epistles of Ignatius, Epistle of Polycarp, Gospel of Marcion (in part), Clementine Recognitions, Clementine Homilies....

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9. Other Apocryphal books of the New Testament which are extant.

9. Other Apocryphal books of the New Testament which are extant.

Oracles of Christ, Gospel According to the Hebrews, Gospel According to the Egyptians, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Paul, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Matthias, Gospel of Andrew, Gospel of Perfection, Gospel of Tatian, Gospel of Basilides, Gospel of Apelles, Gospel of Cerinthus, Gospel of Bartholomew, Acts of Paul, Acts of Peter, Revelation of Paul, Revelation of Peter, Preaching of Peter, Memoirs of the Apostles. Here is a list of one hundred and fifty books. In the apocryphal groups have been inc

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10. Apocryphal books of the New Testament which are lost.

10. Apocryphal books of the New Testament which are lost.

Second in interest and importance only to the origin of the individual books composing the Bible are the facts relating to the manner in which these books were collected into one great volume and declared canonical or authoritative. The formation of the canon required centuries of time to complete. The Jewish canon, it is claimed, was chiefly the work of Ezra, completed by Nehemiah. “All antiquity,” says Dr. Adam Clarke, “is nearly unanimous in giving Ezra the honor of collecting the different w

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The Jewish Canon.

The Jewish Canon.

Respecting the formation of the New Testament canon, the Rev. Dr. Roswell D. Hitchcock says: “The new book of records was, like the old, set down by eye-witnesses of and actors in its scenes, closely after their occurrence; its successive portions were cautiously scrutinized and clearly distinguished as entitled to reception; when the record, properly so-called, was completed, the new canon was closed” (“Analysis of the Bible,” p. 1149). “This process was rapid and decisive; it had in all probab

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The Christian Canon.

The Christian Canon.

To Irenaeus, more than to any other man, belongs the credit of founding the Roman Catholic church; and to him also belongs the credit of founding the New Testament canon, which is a Roman Catholic work. No collection of books corresponding to our New Testament existed before the time of Irenaeus. He was the first to make such a collection, and he was the first to claim inspiration and divine authority for its books. Dr. Davidson says: “The conception of canonicity and inspiration attaching to Ne

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Founding of the Canon.

Founding of the Canon.

The New Testament originally contained but twenty books. To First Peter, Second John, and the Shepherd of Hermas Irenaeus attached some importance, but did not place them in his canon. Hebrews, James, Second Peter, Third John, and Jude he ignored. Tertullian placed in an appendix Hebrews, First Peter, Second John, Jude, and the Shepherd of Hermas. Clement of Alexandria classed as having inferior authority, Hebrews, Second John, Jude, First and Second Epistles of Clement (of Rome), Epistle of Bar

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Completion of the Canon.

Completion of the Canon.

Many believe that the Council of Nice, held in 325 A.D. , determined what books should constitute the Bible. This council did not determine the canon. So far as is known, the first church council which acted upon this question was the Synod of Laodicea which met in 365. This council rejected the Apocryphal books contained in Augustine’s list, but admitted Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremiah. It excluded Revelation. Various councils, following this, adopted canonical lists. One council would admit

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Christian Councils.

Christian Councils.

Concerning the work of these councils, William Penn writes as follows: “I say how do they know that these men discerned true from spurious? Now, sure it is, that some of the Scriptures taken in by one council were rejected by another for apocryphal, and that which was left out by the former for apocryphal was taken in by the latter for canonical” (Penn’s Works, Vol. I., p. 302). In regard to the character of these councils, Dean Milman writes: “It might have been supposed that nowhere would Chri

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Ancient Christian Scholars.

Ancient Christian Scholars.

Athanasius rejected Esther, and Epiphanius accepted the Epistle of Jeremiah. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, and Gregory, Bishop of Constantinople, both rejected Revelation. Chrysostom, one of the greatest of church divines, and, who gave to the sacred book of Christians its name, omitted ten books from his canon—First and Second Chronicles, Esther, Job, and Lamentations, five books in the Old Testament; and Second Peter, Second and Third John, Jude, and Revelation, five books in the New Testament.

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Protestant Scholars.

Protestant Scholars.

The greatest name in the records of the Protestant church is Martin Luther. He is generally recognized as its founder; he is considered one of the highest authorities on the Bible; he devoted a large portion of his life to its study; he made a translation of it for his people, a work which is accepted as one of the classics of German literature. With Luther the Bible superseded the church as a divine authority. And yet this greatest of Protestants rejected no less than six of the sixty-six books

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Martin Luther.

Martin Luther.

The following is a brief description of the principal versions, translations, and manuscripts of the Bible: Hebrew. —The greater portion of the Jewish Scriptures was written in the ancient Hebrew language, while a smaller portion was written in the Aramaic or Chaldaic dialect of this language. The written language of the Hebrew contained no vowels. The meaning of many words was mere conjecture. About one thousand years ago Jewish scholars developed a system of vowel points and made a revision of

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Versions of the Jewish Scriptures.

Versions of the Jewish Scriptures.

Peshito. —The Peshito is probably the oldest version of the Christian Bible. It is in Aramaic, and is the Bible of Syrian Christians. It omits Second Peter, Second and Third John, Jude, and Revelation. Egyptian. —There were two versions of the Egyptian Bible, the Thebaic, written in the language of Upper Egypt, and the Memphitic or Coptic, written in the language of Lower Egypt. These versions included the Apocrypha and excluded Revelation. Ethiopic . —This was the Bible of Ethiopian Christians.

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Ancient Christian Versions.

Ancient Christian Versions.

Italic. —The Italic version was one of the earliest Latin versions of the Bible. The New Testament contained but twenty-four books. It omitted Hebrews, James, and Second Peter. Vulgate. —The Vulgate, one of the most important versions of the Bible, is the Latin version made by Jerome about the beginning of the fifth century. It is the standard version of the Roman Catholic church. It has undergone many revisions and consequently many changes. It now includes the Apocryphal books which Jerome did

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Ancient Manuscripts.

Ancient Manuscripts.

Luther’s. —The principal German version of the Bible was made by the leader of the Protestant Reformation. On account of its superior literary merits and its large circulation it is, next to our Authorized Version, the most important of the Protestant versions. Luther placed the Apocryphal books in an appendix at the end of the Old Testament, and the books of the New Testament which he rejected in an appendix at the end of the New. Wicliffe’s. —The translation of Wicliffe, which appeared in the

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Modern Versions.

Modern Versions.

New Version. —The new or Revised Version of the Bible is a revision of the King James version. The revision was made by a Committee of twenty-seven English scholars, whose work was revised by an American committee. It was begun in 1870 and finished in 1882. In this version the matter is divided into paragraphs instead of chapters and verses. Douay. —The Douay Bible is an English translation of the Vulgate. It is the standard English version of the Roman Catholic church. The foregoing are but a f

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CHAPTER V. AUTHORSHIP AND DATES.

CHAPTER V. AUTHORSHIP AND DATES.

New Testament. The names and dates given in the foregoing table are, with a few exceptions, paraded as established facts. And yet the greater portion of them are mere assumptions, without even the shadow of proof upon which to base them. Many of them are self-evidently false—are contradicted by the contents of the books themselves. The authorship of at least fifty books of the Bible—thirty in the Old Testament and twenty in the New—is unknown. These books are not as old as claimed. The books of

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Arguments for Mosaic Authorship.

Arguments for Mosaic Authorship.

No book had been deposited in the ark as the writer stated. At the dedication of Solomon’s temple the ark was opened, but it contained no book. “There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb” (1 Kings viii, 5–9). In the Pentateuch it is also stated that Moses, at the command of God, wrote certain covenants (Ex. xxxiv, 27), recorded the curse of Amalek (Ex. xvii, 14), and made a list of the stations between the Red Sea and the Jordan (Num. xxxiii); like

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Arguments Against Mosaic Authorship.

Arguments Against Mosaic Authorship.

Orthodox commentators attempt to remove this difficulty by supposing that the last chapter of Deuteronomy belongs to the book of Joshua, and that Joshua recorded the death of Moses. The same writer, referring to the appointment of Joshua as the successor of Moses, says: “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom” (Deut. xxxiv, 9). If Joshua wrote this, however full of the spirit of wisdom he may have been, he certainly was not full of the spirit of modesty. Joshua did not write

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The Work of Various Authors and Compilers.

The Work of Various Authors and Compilers.

Bishop Colenso’s analysis of Genesis is as follows: Elohist, 336 verses; Jehovist, 1,052 verses; Deuteronomist, 39 verses; Priestly writer, 106 verses. The Pentateuch was chiefly written and compiled from seven to ten centuries after the time claimed. The Elohistic and Jehovistic documents, the oldest of the four, were written at least 300 years after the time of David and 700 years after the time of Moses. They were probably written at about the same time. E belongs to the Northern Kingdom of I

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The higher Criticism—Its Triumph and Its Consequences.

The higher Criticism—Its Triumph and Its Consequences.

“The opinion that Moses composed these books is not only opposed by all the signs of a later date which occur in the work itself, but also by the entire analogy of the history of Hebrew literature and language” (Books of Moses, Sec. 163). Fifty years or more elapsed and Davidson and Colenso studied and wrote, and British scholarship was soon arrayed against the old in favor of the new. Dr. Davidson, in the following words, voices the opinion of England’s learned: “There is little external eviden

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Joshua.

Joshua.

In his account of the miracle of Joshua causing the sun to stand still, the writer appeals to the book of Jasher in support of his statement: “Is not this written in the book of Jasher?” (x, 13.) This could not have been written until after the book of Jasher was written or compiled. When was Jasher written? We do not know, but in his history of David the author of Samuel thus refers to it: “He [David] bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of

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Judges.

Judges.

The chapters relating to Samson indicate a date as late as Manasseh, 698 to 643 B.C. During the reign of this king the Hebrews became sun-worshipers. Samson was a sun-god—the name signifies “sun-god.” All the stories related of him in Judges are solar myths. “He and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land” (xviii, 30). The above passage denotes a date as late as the Captivity. Smith’s “Bible Dictionary” says: “It is probable that the books of Judges,

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First and Second Samuel.

First and Second Samuel.

In the Catholic version, and in the subtitles of our versions of the Bible, First and Second Samuel and First and Second Kings are called the First, Second, Third, and Fourth books of Kings. They are properly one book. The division of the work into four books is not only artificial, but illogical. Regarding the authorship of the last two, Smith’s “Bible Dictionary” says: “As regards the authorship of the books, but little difficulty presents itself. The Jewish tradition, which ascribes them to J

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First and Second Kings.

First and Second Kings.

Isaiah, the chief of the prophetic books, and, next to the Pentateuch and the Four Gospels, the most important book of the Bible, purports to be a series of prophecies uttered during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Uzziah’s reign began B.C. 810, and ended B.C. 758; Hezekiah’s reign began B.C. 726 and ended B.C. 698. Isaiah’s ministry is supposed to have extended from about 760 to 700 B.C. , and toward the close of this period, the book of Isaiah, as it now appears, is said to h

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Isaiah.

Isaiah.

That he wrote neither the first nor the second part of the book, as it now exists, is proven by the following passages taken from both: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen” (xxi, 9). “Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defensed cities of Judah, and took them” (xxxvi, 1). “So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned and dwelt in Nineveh. “And it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nishrock his god, that Addrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with

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Jeremiah.

Jeremiah.

Jeremiah, it is declared, wrote both Kings and Jeremiah. He could not have written the concluding portion of either. The last chapter of 2 Kings and the last chapter of Jeremiah are the same, and were written after the time of Jeremiah. The period assigned for Ezekiel’s prophecies is that beginning B.C. 595 and ending B.C. 573. Christians assert that the first twenty-four chapters of the work were written before the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The whole work was undoubtedly writt

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Ezekiel.

Ezekiel.

The twelve Minor Prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk , Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, require but a passing notice. Compared with the other Prophets, or even with the principal books of the Hagiographa, they are of little importance. A part of them may be genuine—the writings of those to whom their authorship has been ascribed—but there is no external evidence, either in the Bible or elsewhere, to support the claim, while the internal evidence of the b

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Minor Prophets.

Minor Prophets.

Mark (1, 2, 3) quotes a prophecy which he applies to John the Baptist. The passage quoted contains two sentences, one of which is found in Malachi (iii, 1), the other in Isaiah (xl, 3). Whiston declares that both sentences originally belonged to Isaiah. If Whiston is correct the Evangelist has not quoted Malachi. This, the last book of the Old Testament, is an anonymous work, Malachi being the name of the book and not of the author. The period assigned for the prophecies of Amos is from 808 to 7

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Psalms.

Psalms.

Some of the more conservative German critics credit David with as many as thirty psalms. Dr. Lyman Abbott contends that he did not write more than fifteen. The Dutch scholars, Kuenen and Oort, believe that he wrote none. And this is probably the truth. While collections of these psalms doubtless existed at an earlier period, the book, in its present form, was compiled during the Maccabean age, about one hundred and fifty years before the Christian era. Many of these psalms are fine poetical comp

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Proverbs.

Proverbs.

It is remarkable that the book which, from a literary point of view, occupies the first place among the books of the Bible, should be the only one in the collection that was not written by a believer in the religion of the Bible. It is almost universally conceded that the book of Job was not written by a Jew, but by a Gentile. Most Christians ascribe its authorship to Job himself; but there is no more authority for ascribing it to Job than there is for ascribing the Pentateuch to Moses. Job is t

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Job.

Job.

The poem of Job, as originally composed, comprised the following: Chapters i-xxvii, 10; xxviii-xxxi; xxviii-xli, 12; xlii, 1–6. All the rest of the book, about eight chapters—nearly one fifth of it—consists of clumsy forgeries. The poet is a radical thinker who boldly questions the wisdom and justice of God. To counteract the influence of his work these interpolations which controvert its teachings were inserted. Nor is this all. Our translators have still further mutilated the work. Its most da

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The Five Rolls.

The Five Rolls.

Many orthodox scholars admit that Esther’s authorship, like that of Ruth, is unknown. Some credit it to Mordecai. It was written as late as 300 B.C. , 150 years after Mordecai’s time. The Vulgate and modern Catholic versions include six chapters not found in our authorized version. There are many books in the Bible devoid of truth, but probably none so self-evidently false as Esther. It has been described as “a tissue of glaring impossibilities from beginning to end.” Luther pronounces it a “hea

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Daniel.

Daniel.

Ezra and Nehemiah for a time constituted one book, Ezra. This was afterwards divided into two books and called The First and Second books of Ezra. Both were ascribed to Ezra. Subsequently the names were changed to those by which they are now known, and the authorship assigned respectively to Ezra and Nehemiah. That both were not composed by the same author is shown by the fact that each contains a copy of the register of the Jews that returned from Babylon. Critics agree that Ezra did not write

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Ezra and Nehemiah.

Ezra and Nehemiah.

The concluding books of the Hagiographa, and of the Old Testament, if arranged in their proper order, are First and Second Chronicles. Theologians tell us that they were written or compiled by Ezra 456 B.C. By carefully comparing the genealogy given in the third chapter of 1 Chronicles with that given in the first chapter of Matthew, it will be seen that the records of Chronicles are brought down to within a few generations of Jesus. These books are a compilation of documents made centuries afte

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First and Second Chronicles.

First and Second Chronicles.

The lesser in size but the greater in importance of the two divisions of the Bible is the New Testament. The principal books of the New Testament, and the most highly valued by Christians of all the books of the Bible, are the Four Gospels. These books, it is affirmed, were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in the first century; Matthew between 37 and 50, Mark and Luke between 56 and 63, and John between 78 and 97 A.D. The orthodox claims regarding the origin of these books are thus expr

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The Apostles.

The Apostles.

After the Apostles, and contemporary with the oldest of them, come the Apostolic Fathers, Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Polycarp. Clement wrote about the close of the first century. There are two Epistles credited to him, but in these Epistles are to be found no evidences of the existence of the Four Gospels. Ignatius is said to have suffered martyrdom in the year 116. There are fifteen Epistles which bear his name. A few of these are believed to be genuine, while the remainder are conceded to

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The Apostolic Fathers.

The Apostolic Fathers.

Professor Norton says: “When we endeavor to strengthen this evidence by appealing to the writings ascribed to Apostolic Fathers we, in fact, weaken its force. At the very extremity of the chain of evidence, where it ought to be strongest, we are attaching defective links which will bear no weight” (Genuineness of the Gospels, Vol I., p. 357). Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp, all refer to the Epistles of Paul, showing that they were in existence when they wrote and that they were acquainted with

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The Christian Fathers.

The Christian Fathers.

The Rev. Dr. Giles repudiates the claim that Justin Martyr recognized the Gospels. He says: “The very names of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are never mentioned by him—do not occur once in all his works. It is, therefore, childish to say that he has quoted from our existing Gospels” (Christian Records, p. 71). Papias, a Christian bishop and a contemporary of Justin Martyr, is cited as a witness for the Gospels. He is quoted by Eusebius as referring to writings of Matthew and Ma

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Internal Evidence.

Internal Evidence.

Christians believe that Matthew’s Gospel was written in Hebrew. Our Matthew was written in Greek. An attempt has been made to explain the discrepancy by assuming that Matthew wrote his book in Hebrew, and subsequently rewrote it in Greek, or translated it into this language. But another difficulty remains. The quotations from the Old Testament in Matthew, and there are many, are taken, not from the Hebrew, but from the Septuagint (Greek) version. This proves that it was originally written in Gre

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Matthew.

Matthew.

While the claim that Matthew wrote his Gospel in Hebrew is vigorously maintained, the claim that he afterwards translated it into Greek himself is so manifestly untenable that many have conceded its improbability. Jerome says: “Who afterwards translated it [Matthew] into Greek is not sufficiently certain.” The consequences of this admission are thus reluctantly expressed by Michaelis: “If the original text of Matthew is lost, and we have nothing but a Greek translation: then, frankly, we cannot

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Mark.

Mark.

That neither Peter nor Mark had anything to do with the composition of this book is admitted by Davidson. Referring to it he says: “It has therefore no relation to the Apostle, and derives no sanction from his name. The author is unknown” (Introduction to New Testament, Vol. II, p. 84). In denying the authenticity of Mark and Luke, what I deny is that these books were written by the traditional Mark and Luke, the companions of Peter and Paul. I deny that they were written in the apostolic age an

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Luke.

Luke.

The Synoptics Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it is claimed, are original and independent compositions, and the oldest of all the Gospels, both canonical and apocryphal. This claim is disproved by the form and character of their contents. One of two things is certain: either these writers copied from each other, or all copied from older documents. The following, which are but a few of the many passages that might be adduced, afford unmistakable evidence of this: Matthew—“They were astonished at his doc

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The Synoptics.

The Synoptics.

Matthew—“And without a parable spake he not unto them” (xiii, 34). Mark—“But without a parable spake he not unto them” (iv, 34). Matthew—“Sought opportunity to betray him” (xxvi, 16). Luke—“Sought opportunity to betray him” (xxii, 6). Mark—“But they understood not that saying” (ix, 32). Luke—“But they understood not this saying” (ix, 45). The theory that the Synoptics borrowed from each other will account for the agreements in their books; but it will not account for the disagreements, and these

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John.

John.

8. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing ye might have life through his name” (xx, 30, 31). Thus concludes the original Gospel According to St. John. This book was not written by John, but it was written by a disciple of John for Johannine Christians. When the Roman Catholic hierarchy was formed and the Gospel of John was

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The Four Gospels.

The Four Gospels.

“Our interest is more especially excited by the five historical books of the New Testament. If we might really suppose them to have been written by the men whose names they bear, we could never be thankful enough for such precious authorities.... But, alas! not one of these five books was really written by the person whose name it bears—though for the sake of brevity we shall still call the writers Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—and they are all of more recent date than their headings would lead

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Acts of the Apostles.

Acts of the Apostles.

Continuing his speech, Gamaliel refers to another event, as follows: “After this man [Theudas] rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him; he also perished” (37). Here the author makes Gamaliel state that the sedition of Judas of Galilee occurred after that of Theudas, when in fact it occurred in 6 A.D. —forty years before. Such grave discrepancies could have been made only by one writing long after the date claimed. Holtzmann, a German critic, has sh

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James and Jude.

James and Jude.

Most Christians contend that the First Epistle of Peter is genuine. Some of the early Christian Fathers, however, rejected it. Irenaeus did not place it in his canon. Not until the third century was it accepted as the writing of Peter. The celebrated Tubingen school of critics rejects the authenticity of the book. Baur and Zeller believe it to be a Pauline document. Schwegler believes that it was written to reconcile the Pauline and Petrine doctrines. The Dutch critics say that it was borrowed l

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Epistles of Peter.

Epistles of Peter.

The so-called Epistles of John, so far as the books themselves are concerned, are anonymous. They do not purport to have been written by the Apostle John, nor by anyone bearing the name of John. Of First John, “Chambers’s Encyclopedia” says: “Of the epistles it is almost certain that the First proceeded from the same writer who composed the [Fourth] Gospel. In style, language, and doctrine, it is identical with it.” If John did not write the Fourth Gospel, and it is conceded by most writers that

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Epistles of John.

Epistles of John.

Revelation is the last book of the Bible, and the one least understood. Christians themselves are not agreed as to its meaning. Some believe it to be a series of prophecies which have had their fulfilment in the struggles between Christianity and Paganism; others believe that its prophecies are yet to be fulfilled; still others pronounce it a symbolical poem, representing the conflict between truth and error, while not a few consider it the recorded fancies of a diseased imagination. The book pu

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Revelation.

Revelation.

Concerning its rejection by modern churchmen, the Edinburgh Review (No. 131) says: “The most learned and intelligent of Protestant divines here almost all doubted or denied the canonicity of the book of Revelation. Calvin and Beza pronounced the book unintelligible, and prohibited the pastors of Geneva from all attempts at interpretation.” Dr. South described it as “a book that either found a man mad or left him so.” Luther, in the Preface to his New Testament (Ed. of 1522) writes: “In the Revel

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Genuine Epistles.

Genuine Epistles.

The doubtful Epistles, those whose authenticity is accepted by some critics and rejected by others, are Philippians, First Thessalonians, and Philemon. Sixty years ago to this list of doubtful books critics would have added three others—Ephesians, Colossians, and Second Thessalonians; but the critical labors of the Tubingen school and others have relegated these to the already burdened shelf of spurious Bible books. In regard to Philippians, Ferdinand Baur, for thirty years head of the Tubingen

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Doubtful Epistles.

Doubtful Epistles.

The spurious Epistles, those whose authenticity is generally denied by the critics, are Ephesians, Colossians, Second Thessalonians, First and Second Timothy, Titus, and Hebrews. Ewald and De Wette both admit that Ephesians was not written by St. Paul. De Wette thinks it was compiled from Colossians. Davidson and Mayerhoff believe that neither Ephesians nor Colossians is genuine. I have quoted Baur’s rejection of Colossians. The Encyclopedia Britannica says: “It is undeniable that the Epistle to

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Spurious Epistles.

Spurious Epistles.

Concerning the seven books that we have been considering, Dr. Hooykaas says: “Fourteen Epistles are said to be Paul’s; but we must at once strike off one, namely, that to the Hebrews, which does not bear his name at all.... The two letters to Timothy and the letter to Titus were certainly composed long after the death of Paul.... It is more than probable that the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians are also unauthentic, and the same suspicion rests, perhaps, on the first, but certainly on th

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Conclusion.

Conclusion.

“The Bible does not contain the shadow of a shade of error from Genesis to Revelation”—Cheever. “Every book of it, every chapter of it, every verse of it, every word of it, is the direct utterance of the Most High.”—Bunyan. Such are the dogmatic assertions of Bibliolaters. So much confidence do they pretend to repose in the doctrine of the Bible’s inerrancy that they propose the most crucial tests for its submission. The Rev. Jeremiah Jones, one of the highest orthodox authorities on the canon,

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Part II. CREDIBILITY.

Part II. CREDIBILITY.

If the Bible were a divine revelation, as claimed, it would have been divinely preserved. Not only the original writers, but the transcribers, translators, and printers, also, would have been divinely inspired. It is admitted that divine inspiration was confined to the original writers. Consequently the Bible, as we have it, cannot be an infallible revelation. If it be not an infallible revelation it cannot be a divine revelation. It is popularly supposed that the books of the Bible, as original

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Errors of Transcribers.

Errors of Transcribers.

These errors of the transcribers have been immeasurably increased by the translators. A perfect translation is impossible, and for these reasons: 1. No language has words to express perfectly all the words of another language. 2. Languages change with time and the words of one age have a different meaning in the next. 3. Many writers do not express themselves clearly, and it is often impossible to fully comprehend their meaning. This is especially true of Bible writers. 4. No two translators wil

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Errors of Translators.

Errors of Translators.

On the title page of the Authorized Version of the New Testament appears another falsehood: “Translated out of the original Greek.” The original Greek of the New Testament, it is claimed, belongs to the first century. The “original Greek” out of which our version was translated is less than 500 years old. The Greek version from which it was translated was made by Erasmus in 1516. Referring to the materials employed by Erasmus in the preparation of his work, the Rev. Alexander Roberts, D. D., in

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Different Versions Contain Different Books.

Different Versions Contain Different Books.

No two versions of the same book are alike. The Samaritan Pentateuch does not agree with the Hebrew Pentateuch; the Septuagint Pentateuch agrees with neither. The Hebrew and the Septuagint have both been accepted by Christians as authoritative. In a single chapter may be found a dozen important variations: Hebrew.—“And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years and begat Salah” (Gen. xi, 12). Septuagint.—“And Arphaxad lived a hundred and thirty-five years and begat Cainan.” Hebrew.—“And Arphaxad lived

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Different Versions of the Same Book Differ.

Different Versions of the Same Book Differ.

Septuagint.—“And Salah lived after he begat Eber three hundred and thirty years.” Hebrew.—“And Eber lived four and thirty years and begat Peleg” (16). Septuagint.—“And Eber lived a hundred and thirty-four years and begat Peleg.” Hebrew.—“And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years” (17). Septuagint.—“And Eber lived after he begat Peleg two hundred and seventy years.” Hebrew.—“And Peleg lived thirty years and begat Reu” (18). Septuagint.—“And Peleg lived a hundred and thirty

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Different Copies of the Same Version Differ.

Different Copies of the Same Version Differ.

In discussing the credibility of the Bible the question of authenticity will, for the most part, be waived. With Christians all of its books are genuine—the writings of those to whom they are ascribed—and for the sake of argument, as well as convenience, these ascribed authors will be recognized. A stereotyped claim of Bible believers is this: “The account of creation given in Genesis is in harmony with the accepted teachings of science.” But which account? In the opening chapters of Genesis are

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1.

1.

In the first, earth is a chaos covered with water. The waters must be assuaged before vegetation can appear. In the second, earth is at first a dry plain. Vegetation cannot exist because there is no moisture. “For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth” (ii, 5)....

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2.

2.

In the first, plants are created from the earth—are a product of the earth. “And the earth brought forth grass and herb” (i, 12). In the second, they are created independent of the earth—are created by God and then transferred to earth. “The Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew” (ii, 4, 5)....

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3.

3.

In the first, fowls, fish, and aquatic animals form one act of creation—land animals and reptiles another; the former being created on the fifth day, the latter on the sixth (i, 21–25). In the second, fowls and land animals are created at the same time—form one creation act (ii, 19). 5. In the first, fowls are created out of the water . “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth” (i, 20). In the second, fowls are

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4.

4.

In the first, trees are created before man. Trees appear on the third day, while man does not appear until the sixth day. In the second, trees are created after man. “And the Lord God formed man; ... planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree,” etc. (ii, 7, 8.)...

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6.

6.

In the first, fowls are created before man—are created on the fifth day, while the creation of man does not occur until the sixth day. In the second, fowls are created after man. “The Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them” (ii, 19)....

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7.

7.

In the first, man is created after the beasts. God’s first work on the sixth day was the creation of beasts, his last work was the creation of man (i, 24–31). In the second, man is created before the beasts. God makes man before he plants the garden of Eden, while beasts are not made until after the garden is planted (ii, 7–19)....

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8.

8.

In the first, man and woman are created at the same time. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (i, 27). In the second, woman is created after man. The writer supposes a considerable period of time to have elapsed between the creation of man and the creation of woman. God creates man; then he plants a garden and places the man there to tend it; next he makes the animals and birds and brings them to Adam to name; finally he conc

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9.

9.

The first cosmogony comprises eight distinct creations: 1. Light. 2. The firmament. 3. Dry land. 4. Vegetation. 5. Sun, moon, and stars. 6 . Fish and fowls. 7. Land animals. 8. Man. The second comprises four creations: 1. Man (Adam). 2. Trees. 3. Animals. 4. Woman (Eve)....

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10.

10.

In the first, the heavens and the earth are created in six literal days. In the second, no mention is made of this six days’ creation. On the contrary, the writer simply refers to “the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens” (ii, 4)....

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11.

11.

In the first, God, from his throne in heaven, speaks earth’s creation into being. “God said, Let the earth bring forth, ... and it was so.” In the second, God comes down on earth, plants a garden, molds man out of clay, breathes in his nostrils, makes woman out of a rib, makes birds and animals as a child makes mud pies, and brings them to Adam to see what he will call them....

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12.

12.

In the first, man at the creation is given both fruit and herbs to subsist upon. “Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, ... and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat” (i, 29). In the second, he is given fruit alone for food. Not until after he sins and the curse is pronounced does God say, “Thou shalt eat the herb of the field” (iii, 18). According to this writer the use of herbs and grain for food was a consequence of man’s fall...

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13.

13.

In the first, man may partake of the fruit of all the trees. “Every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat” (i, 29 ) . In the second, he is not permitted to partake of the fruit of all the trees. “Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden” (iii, 1). “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it” (ii, 17)....

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14.

14.

In the first, “God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament” (i, 7). When moisture was needed “the windows of heaven were opened” and water discharged from the reservoir above. When enough was discharged “the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained” (viii, 2). In the second, when moisture was needed, “There went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground” (ii, 6

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15.

15.

In the first, man is given dominion over all the earth. “Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth” (i, 26). In the second, his dominion is confined to a garden. “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and keep it” (ii, 15)....

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16.

16.

Both cosmogonies are theological rather than scientific. The real purpose of the first, in its present form at least, is not so much to explain the creation of the universe as to inculcate a belief in the divine institution of the Sabbath. It belongs to the Priestly code, and one of the chief pillars of priestcraft is the Sabbath. The second contains no recognition of the Sabbath. The chief purpose of this account of the creation, if we include the third chapter, which is really a continuation o

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17.

17.

According to the first the Creator is an optimist. He views all his works and declares them “good.” According to the second the Creator is a pessimist. He sees in his works both “good and evil;” the good continuing to diminish, and the evil continuing to increase. To establish the credibility and divine origin of Genesis it is necessary not merely to harmonize its theories with science, but to reconcile its statements with each other. The latter is as impossible as the former. Dean Stanley, in h

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18.

18.

In disproof of the credibility of the so-called patriarchal history of the Pentateuch, a few of its many incredible and contradictory statements will be presented here. The following are the recorded ages of the patriarchs: Adam, 930 years (Gen. v, 5); Seth, 912 (8); Enos, 905 (11). Cainan, 910 (14); Mahalaleel, 895 (17); Jared, 962 (20); Enoch, 365 (23) Methuselah, 969 (27); Lamech, 777 (31); Noah, 950 (ix, 29); Shem, 600 (xi, 10, 11); Arphaxad, 438 (12, 13); Cainan, 460 (omitted in Hebrew Vers

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1.

1.

“Every one that findeth me shall slay me” (Gen. iv, 14). “And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him” (15). “And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod” (16). “And Cain knew his wife: and she conceived, and bare Enoch; and he [Cain] builded a city” (17). Cain, believing that he had a plurality of lives, and fearing that every one who found him would take one, appealed to God, who set a mark on him so that his father and mother, the

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2.

2.

“And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: and Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years.... And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years” (Gen. v, 25–27). “And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: and he called his name Noah” (28, 29). “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great dee

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3.

3.

3. From the birth of Methuselah to the death of Noah was 187 years + 182 years + 950 years = 1319 years. As Noah died 350 years after the Flood, from the birth of Methuselah to the end of the Flood was 1319 years - 350 years = 969 years. If he lived 969 years, he lived until the end of the Flood. As Methuselah was not one of the eight persons that went into the ark, where was he during the Flood? According to the Septuagint Genesis, the Flood occurred fourteen years before the death of Methusela

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4.

4.

“ And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begat Shem” (v, 32). “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth” (vii, 6). “Shem was a hundred years old , and he begat Arphaxad two years after the flood” (xi, 10). If Noah was five hundred years old when he begat Shem, and six hundred years old at the time of the Flood, Shem was one hundred years old at the time of the Flood. If Shem begat Arphaxad two years after the Flood, he was one hundred and two years ol

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5.

5.

“And Arphaxad begat Salah” (Gen. x, 24). “And Arphaxad begat Shelah” (1 Chron. i, 18). “And Arphaxad begat Cainan, and Cainan begat Salah” (Genesis, Sept. Ver.). “Which was the son of Sala, which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad” (Luke iii, 35, 36). According to the Hebrew Genesis and Chronicles, Arphaxad was the father of Salah; according to the Septuagint Genesis and Luke, Cainan was the father, and Arphaxad the grandfather of Salah....

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6.

6.

“The woman [Sarah] was taken into Pharaoh’s house” (Gen. xii, 15). “And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me?” (18). “And Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah” (xx, 2). “Then Abimelech called unto Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us?” (9). It may be claimed that both Pharaoh and Abimelech took Sarah. But it is evident that these are both legends of the same event, or, rather, different and conflicting forms of the same legend. The f

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7.

7.

“And Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.... And into the land of Canaan they came” (Gen. xii, 4, 5). “And Terah lived seventy years and begat Abram” (xi, 26). “And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years” (32). “When his father was dead, he [Abram] removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell” (Acts vii, 4). If Abram did not go to Canaan until after the death of his father, he did not go until he was 135 years old, 60 years older than stated in the f

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8.

8.

“And Abram was four score and six years old when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram” (Gen. xvi, 16). “And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him” (xxi, 5). “And the child [Isaac] grew, and was weaned” (8). “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child [Ishmael], and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water was spent in the

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9.

9.

“And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite” (Gen. xxvi, 34). “Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; and Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter” (xxxvi, 2, 3). Did Esau marry two wives, according to the first account, or three, according to the second? Was his first wife Judith, the daughter o

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10.

10.

“I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty: but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them” (Ex. vi, 3). “I [Abraham] have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord [ Jehovah ] the most high God” (Gen. xiv, 22). “He [Isaac] said, For now the Lord [ Jehovah ] hath made room for us” (xxvi, 22). “He [Jacob] said, Surely the Lord [ Jehovah ] is in this place” (xxviii, 16). According to the writer in Exodus, Jehovah did not become the national God of Israel until after

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11.

11.

“All the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were three score and ten” (xlvi, 27). “Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, three score and fifteen souls” (Acts vii, 14)....

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12.

12.

“And the Midianites sold him [Joseph] into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard” (Gen. xxxvii, 36). “And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him [Joseph] of the hands of the Ishmaelites ” (xxxix, 1)....

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13.

13.

“Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi ,” etc. (Gen. xxxv, 22, 23). “And these are the names of the sons of Levi, according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath ” etc. (Ex. vi, 16). “And the sons of Kohath; Amram ,” etc. (18). “And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses ” (20). “And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramases to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that wer

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14.

14.

Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, married and had three sons—Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er grew to manhood, married Tamar, and died. Onan then married his widow, and died also. Shelah, who was much younger than Onan, grew to manhood and refused to marry his brother’s widow. Tamar then had two sons, Pharez and Zarah, by Judah himself (Gen. xxxviii). Pharez grew to manhood, married, and had two sons, Hezron and Hamil (xlvi, 12), before Jacob and his family went to Egypt. When they went to Egypt, Judah was but

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15.

15.

Much of the Bible is devoted to events which are narrated but once. These records may be true, or they may be false. We may question their truthfulness, but it is difficult to demonstrate their falsity. Had all the events of the Bible been recorded but once its credibility could the more easily be maintained. But wherever two or more accounts of the same events occur, such as in Kings and Chronicles, where two histories of the Jewish Kings are given, and in the Four Gospels, where four biographi

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1

1

Who gave David the shewbread to eat when he was a fugitive from Saul? “Then came David to Nob to Abimelech the [High] priest.... So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread” (1 Sam. xxi, 1, 6). “And he [Jesus] said unto them, Have ye never read what David did when he was ahungered, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread?” (Mark ii, 25, 26)....

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2

2

What relation did the High Priests Abimelech and Abiathar bear to each other? “Abiathar the son of Abimelech” (1 Sam. xxiii, 6). “Abimelech the son of Abiathar” (2 Sam. viii, 17)....

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3

3

What sons were born to David in Jerusalem? “And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet” (2 Sam. v, 14–16). “Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet , and Nogah , and Nepheg and Japhia, and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet” (1 C

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4

4

What was the name of David’s tenth son (twelfth according to Chronicles)? Eliada (2 Sam. v, 16). Beeliada (1 Chron. xiv, 7). “Eliada” means “God knows;” “Beeliada” means “Baal knows.” Did David name his son for the God of the Jews, or for the God of the heathen?...

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5

5

How many horsemen did David take from Hadadezer? “David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen” (2 Sam. viii, 4). “David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen” (1 Chron. xviii, 4)....

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6

6

Was it forty thousand horsemen or forty thousand footmen that David slew of the Syrians? “David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen ” (2 Sam. x, 18). “David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots and forty thousand footmen ” (1 Chron. xix, 18)....

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7

7

Who moved David to number the people, the Lord or Satan? “The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah” (2 Sam. xxiv, 1). “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel” (1 Chron. xxi, 1)....

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8

8

How many warriors had Israel and Judah? “And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand [800,000] valiant men that drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand [500,000] men” (2 Sam. xxiv, 9). “And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand [1,100,000] men that drew sword; and Judah was four hundred three score and ten thousand [470,000] men” (1 Chron. xxi, 5)....

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9

9

Was David to suffer three or seven years of famine? “So Gad came to David and said unto him: Thus saith the Lord, choose thee either three years of famine, or three months to be destroyed before thy foes” (1 Chron. xxi, 11, 12). “So Gad came to David and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies?” (2 Sam. xxiv, 13)....

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10

10

What did David pay for the threshing floor? “And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshing floor of Araunah [Ornan] the Jebusite.... So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver [$26.50]” (2 Sam. xxiv, 18, 24). “Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite.... So David gave to Ornan for the pl

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11

11

How many overseers did Solomon have while building the Temple? “And Solomon had three score and ten thousand that bare burdens, and four score thousand hewers in the mountains; besides the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred ” (1 Kings, v, 15, 16). “And he set three score and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens and four score thousand to be hewers in the mountains, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people awork” (

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12

12

What was the height of the pillars before the house? “For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece.... And he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz” (1 Kings vii, 15, 21). “Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, ... and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz ” (2 Chron. iii, 15, 17)....

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13

13

What was the capacity of the molten sea? “And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other.... And it was a hand-breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths” (1 Kings vii, 23, 26). “Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim.... And the thickness of it was a handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three

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14

14

How many overseers did Solomon have over his other works? “These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty , which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work” (1 Kings ix, 23). “And these were the chief of King Solomon’s officers, even two hundred and fifty , that bare rule over the people” (2 Chron. viii, 10)....

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15

15

How many stalls did Solomon have for his horses? “And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen” (2 Chron. ix, 25). “And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen” (1 Kings iv, 26)....

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16

16

How much gold did they bring Solomon from Ophir? “And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon” (1 Kings ix, 28). “And they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them to King Solomon” (2 Chron. viii, 18)....

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17

17

Who was the first to die, Jeroboam or Abijah? “Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died. But Abijah waxed mighty” (2 Chron. xiii, 20, 21). “And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years” (1 Kings xiv, 20). “And Abijam [Abijah] slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah” (1 Kings xv,

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18

18

Who was the mother of Abijah? “He [Rehoboam] took Maachah the daughter of Absalom ; which bare him Abijah” (2 Chron. xi, 20). “His [Abijah’s] mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah” (2 Chron. xiii, 2)....

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19

19

Was Asa the son or the grandson of Maachah? “Forty and one years reigned he [Asa] in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom” (1 Kings xv, 10). “Three years reigned he [Abijam] in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom.... And Asa his son reigned in his stead” (1 Kings xv, 2, 8)....

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20

20

How long did Omri reign? “In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel twelve years.... So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign” (1 Kings xvi, 23, 28, 29). From the thirty-first to the thirty-eighth year of Asa’s reign Omri is said to have reigned twelve years....

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21

21

When did Baasha die? “Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.... In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign” (1 Kings xvi, 6, 8). “In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah” (2 Chron. xvi, 1)....

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22

22

When did Jehoram king of Israel and Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign? “And Jehoram [of Israel] reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah” (2 Kings i, 17). “And in the fifth year of Joram [Jehoram of Israel].... Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign” (2 Kings viii, 16). According to the first account, Jehoram of Israel began to reign in the second year of Jehoram of Judah; according to the second, Jehoram of Judah began to re

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23

23

When did Ahaziah begin to reign? “In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah” (2 Kings ix, 29). “In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign” (2 Kings viii, 25)....

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24

24

How old was Ahaziah when he began to reign? “ Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem” (2 Kings viii, 26). “ Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem” (2 Chron. xxii, 2)....

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25

25

How long did Jotham reign? “In the second year of Pekah ... began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem” (2 Kings xv, 32, 33 ) . “And Hoshea ... slew him [Pekah] and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziab” (2 Kings xv, 30)....

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26

26

Who was Josiah’s successor? “Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead” (2 Chron. xxxvi, 1). “For thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah which reigned instead of Josiah his father” (Jer. xxli, 11)....

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27

27

How old was Jehoiachin when he began to reign? “Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign” (2 Chron. xxxvi, 9). “ Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign” (2 Kings xxiv, 8)....

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28

28

When did Evil-Merodach release Jehoiachin from prison? “In the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month” (2 Kings xxv, 27). “In the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month” (Jer. lii, 31)....

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29

29

What relation did Zedekiah, the last of the Jewish kings, bear to Jehoiachin, his predecessor? 1. He was his son. “Jechoniah [Jehoiachin] his son, Zedekiah his son” (1 Chron. iii, 16). 2. He was his brother. “Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him [Jehoiachin] to Babylon, ... and made Zedekiah his brother king of Judah” (2 Chron. xxxvi, 10). 3. He was his uncle. “The king of Babylon made Mattaniah his [Jehoiachin’s] father’s brother king in his stead and changed his name to Zedekiah” (2 Kings xxiv,

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30

30

At the end of Solomon’s reign the Jewish nation was divided into two kingdoms. Two tribes acknowledged the authority of Solomon’s successor, Rehoboam. This was called the kingdom of Judah, of which Jerusalem was the capital. Ten tribes revolted and made Jeroboam king. This formed the kingdom of Israel, of which Samaria was the capital. The following is a brief summary of the reigns of the kings of the two kingdoms from the partition of the empire to the conquest of Israel by the Assyrians: “And

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Kingdom of Judah.

Kingdom of Judah.

“They made a conspiracy against him [Amaziah] ... and slew him” (2 Kings xiv, 19). “And all the people of Judah took Azariah ... and made him king instead of his father, Amaziah” (21). “And he reigned two and fifty years” (xv, 2). “So Azariah slept with his fathers ... and Jotham his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings xv, 7). “And he reigned sixteen years” (33). “And Jotham slept with his fathers ... and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings xv, 38)—“and reigned sixteen years” (xvi, 2). “A

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Kingdom of Israel.

Kingdom of Israel.

“So Ahab slept with his fathers and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead” (1 Kings xxii, 40)—“and reigned two years over Israel” (51). “So he [Ahaziah] died ... and Jehoram [ his brother] reigned in his stead” (2 Kings i, 17)—“and reigned twelve years” (iii, 1) . “I have anointed thee [Jehu] king ... over Israel” (2 Kings ix, 6). “And Jehu ... smote Jehoram” (24). “And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years” (x, 36). “And Jehu slept with his fathers ... and

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1.

1.

“Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah” (1 Kings xv, 1). As Jeroboam reigned 22 years, he reigned four years after the beginning of Abijam’s reign. From the beginning of Abijam’s reign, then, to the death of Ahaziah, the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Jeroboam 4 years, Nadab 2 years, Baasha 24 years, Elah 2 years, Omri 12 years Ahab 22 years, and Ahaziah 2 years. 4 years + 2 years + 24 years + 2 years + 12 years + 22 years + 2 years = 68 years. Fr

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2.

2.

“In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel” (1 Kings xvi, 23). From the accession of Omri to the death of Ahaziah the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Omri 12 years, Ahab 22 years, and Ahaziah 2 years. 12 years + 22 years + 2 years = 36 years. As Omri became king in the thirty-first year of Asa’s reign, Asa reigned ten years after Omri became king, and this added to Jehoshaphat’s reign of twenty-five years makes thirty-five years from Omri to the death of Je

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3.

3.

“In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel” (2 Kings xiii, 1). From the death of Ahaziah king of Israel to the accession of Jehoahaz, Jehoram reigned 12 years, and Jehu 28 years, a total of 40 years. From the death of Jehoshaphat to the accession of Jehoahaz, Judah’s sovereigns reigned—Joram 8 years, Ahaziah 1 year, Athaliah 6 years, Joash 23 years. 8 years + 1 year + 6 years + 23 years = 38 years. If from the d

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4.

4.

“And Jehoram [of Israel] reigned in his [Ahaziah’s] stead, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat ” (2 Kings i, 17). If Ahaziah died and Jehoram of Israel became king in the second year of Jehoram of Judah, Jehoshaphat therefore died two years before Ahaziah died....

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5.

5.

“And Joram [Jehoram] king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot ... against Jehu” (2 Kings ix, 21), “And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart” (24). “But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this he fled by way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so” (27). Jehoram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, king of Judah, were thus slain at th

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6.

6.

“In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah” (2 Kings xiv, 1). From the death of Ahaziah to the accession of Amaziah the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 2 years. 12 years + 28 years + 17 years + 2 years = 59 years. From the death of Jehoshaphat to the accession of Amaziah, Judah’s kings reigned—Joram 8 years, Ahaziah 1 year, Athaliah 6 years, Joash 40 years. 8 years + 1 year +

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7.

7.

“And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel” (1 Kings xxii, 41). If Ahab reigned twenty-two years and Jehoshaphat began to reign in the fourth year of Ahab’s reign, Jehoshaphat had reigned eighteen years when Ahab died, and twenty years when Ahaziah died. As Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years, he therefore died five years after Ahaziah died....

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8.

8.

“Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel” (1 Kings, xxii, 51). If Ahaziah began to reign in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat and reigned two years before he died, he died in the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign. As Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years, he therefore died six years after Ahaziah died....

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9.

9.

“Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah” (2 Kings iii, 1). If Ahaziah died and Jehoram became king in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign, Jehoshaphat therefore died seven years after Ahaziah died....

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10.

10.

“In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah [Azariah] king of Judah to reign” (2 Kings xv, 32). From the death of Ahaziah to the beginning of Jotham’s reign the following were the reigns of Israel’s kings: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 16 years, Jeroboam 41 years, Zachariah and Shallum 1 year, Menahem 10 years, Pekahiah 2 years, Pekah 2 years. 12 years + 28 years + 17 years + 16 years + 41 years + 1 year + 10 years +

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11.

11.

“In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel” (2 Kings xv, 8). From the death of Ahaziah to the accession of Zachariah the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 16 years, Jeroboam 41 years. 12 years + 28 years + 17 years + 16 years + 41 years = 114 years. From the death of Jehoshaphat to the accession of Zachariah the reigns of Judah’s kings were: Joram 8 years, Ahaziah 1 year, Athal

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12.

12.

“In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel” (2 Kings xv, 23). From the death of Ahaziah to the accession of Pekahiah, Israel’s kings reigned as follows: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 16 years, Jeroboam 41 years, Zachariah and Shallum 1 year, Menahem 10 years. 12 years + 28 years + 17 years + 16 years + 41 years + 1 year + 10 years = 125 years. From the death of Jehoshaphat to the accession of Pekahiah, Judah’

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13.

13.

“In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel” (2 Kings xvii, 1). From the death of Ahaziah to the accession of Hoshea the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 16 years, Jeroboam 41 years, Zachariah and Shallum 1 year, Menahem 10 years, Pekahiah 2 years, Pekah 20 years. 12 years + 28 years + 17 years + 16 years + 41 years + 1 year + 10 years + 2 years + 20 years = 147 years. From the dea

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14.

14.

“And it came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it” (2 Kings xviii, 9). From the death of Ahaziah to the commencement of the siege of Samaria the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 16 years, Jeroboam 41 years, Zachariah and Shallum 1 year, Menahem 10 years, Pekahiah 2 years, Pekah 20 years, Hoshea 7

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15.

15.

“In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign” (2 Kings xv, 1). From the death of Ahaziah to the accession of Azariah the reigns of Israel’s kings were: Jehoram 12 years, Jehu 28 years, Jehoahaz 17 years, Joash 16 years, Jeroboam 27 years. 12 years + 28 years + 17 years + 16 years + 27 years = 100 years. From the death of Jehoshaphat to the accession of Azariah the reigns of Judah’s kings were: Joram 8 years, Ahaziah 1 year, Athali

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16.

16.

When did Jehoshaphat’s death occur? Did it occur before or after Ahaziah’s death occurred? The following is a recapitulation of the various answers to this question which the preceding solutions have disclosed: Here are sixteen different answers to a simple historical question. But one of them can possibly be correct; fifteen of them must necessarily be incorrect. And yet I challenge the theologian to demonstrate the incorrectness of one of them without at the same time demonstrating the fallibi

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Recapitulation.

Recapitulation.

The history of Judah’s and of Israel’s sovereigns is recorded in Kings and repeated in Chronicles. Had I used both Kings and Chronicles in the preparation of this chapter, the number of various answers would have been increased. Some Christian scholars, however, admit that Chronicles is not entirely free from errors, while Kings, on the other hand, is denominated a “marvel of accuracy.” To avoid any objections that might be raised were Chronicles used—to assail only that which is deemed unassail

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Notes and Explanations.

Notes and Explanations.

We search the writings of Bible commentators in vain for an explanation or attempted reconciliation of many of the conflicting statements to be found in the passages that I have quoted. These exegetes have either been ignorant of their existence, or have purposely ignored them. Some of the more noticeable ones they have attempted to reconcile; but the explanations offered are of such a character as to make it seemingly impossible for an honest scholar to advance them, or an intelligent reader to

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1.

1.

“The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve ” (Ez. ii, 6). “The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen ” (Neh. vii, 11)....

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2.

2.

“The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five” (Ez. ii, 8). “The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five” (Neh. vii, 13)....

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3.

3.

“The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two ” (Ez. ii, 10). “The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight ” (Neh. vii, 15)....

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4.

4.

“The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three ” (Ez. ii, 11). “The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight ” (Neh. vii, 16)....

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5.

5.

“The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two” (Ez. ii, 12). “The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two” (Neh. vii, 17)....

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6.

6.

“The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six ” (Ez. ii, 13). “The children of Adonikam, six hundred three score and seven ” (Neh. vii, 18)....

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7.

7.

“The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six ” (Ez. ii, 14). “The children of Bigvai, two thousand three score and seven ” (Neh. vii, 19)....

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8.

8.

“The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four ” (Ez. ii, 15). “The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five ” (Neh. vii, 20)....

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9.

9.

“The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three ” (Ez. ii, 17). “The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four ” (Neh. vii, 23)....

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10.

10.

“The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three ” (Ez. ii, 19). “The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight ” (Neh. vii, 22)....

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11.

11.

“The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three. “The men of Netophah, fifty and six” (Ez. ii, 21, 22). [The number of both is one hundred and seventy-nine ]. “The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred four score and eight ” (Neh. vii, 26)....

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12.

12.

“The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three” (Ez. ii, 28). “The men of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three” (Neh. vii, 32)....

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13.

13.

“The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six” (Ez. ii, 30). [This family is omitted from Nehemiah’s list.]...

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14.

14.

“The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five ” (Ez. ii, 33). “The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one ” (Neh. vii, 37)....

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15.

15.

“The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty” (Ez. ii, 35). “The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty” (Neh. vii, 38)....

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16.

16.

“The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight” (Ez. ii, 41). “The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight” (Neh. vii, 44)....

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17.

17.

“The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine ” (Ez. ii, 42). “The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight ” (Neh. vii, 45)....

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18.

18.

“The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two” (Ez. ii, 60). “The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two” (Neh. vii, 62)....

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19.

19.

“And there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women” (Ez. ii, 65). “And they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women” (Neh. vii, 67). The following is a table of the census of all the families, as given by Ezra and Nehemiah respectively: In the above table are twenty discrepancies. Twenty errors in forty-three numerical statements is a bad showing for an infallible record. Ezra and Nehemiah both state that the whole congregation, exclusive of the servants an

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20.

20.

The more intelligent of orthodox Christians admit that the Bible as a whole is not infallible and divine, but claim that it contains a divine revelation—that a part of it is the work of God and a part the work of man. And yet they cannot separate the one from the other, cannot agree as to which is divine and which human. Concerning this claim Prof. Goldwin Smith writes: “When we are told there are in the Old Testament scriptures both a human and a divine element, we must ask by what test the div

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1.

1.

Where was Jesus born, in a house, or in a manger? “And when they were come into the house , they saw the young child with Mary his mother” (Matt. ii, 11). “And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger ” (Luke ii, 16)....

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2.

2.

What did his parents do with him? “When he [Joseph] arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod” (Matt. ii, 14, 15). “And when the days of her [Mary’s] purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.... And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth” (Luke ii, 22, 39)...

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3.

3.

What were the names of the twelve apostles? “Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus ; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot” (Matt. x, 2–4). “He chose twelve, whom also he named apostles: Simon (whom he also named Peter), and Andrew his brother, James an

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4.

4.

Whom did Jesus call from the receipt of custom? “He saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom; and he saith unto him, Follow me” (Matt. ix, 9). “He went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me” (Luke v, 27)....

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5.

5.

When Jesus sent out his Apostles, did he command them to provide themselves with staves? “And he commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money” (Mark vi, 8). “And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves , nor scrip, neither bread, neither money” (Luke ix, 3)....

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6.

6.

What did Jesus’ neighbors say of him? “Is not this the carpenter?” (Mark vi, 3). “Is not this the carpenter’s son?” (Matt. xiii, 55.)...

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7.

7.

Was it one man or two men possessed with devils who came out of the tombs? “There met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit” (Mark v, 2). “There met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs” (Matt. viii, 28)....

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8.

8.

As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, how many blind men sat by the wayside? “A certain blind man sat by the way side begging.... And he cried, saying, Jesus thou Son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke xviii, 35). “Two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David” (Matt. xx, 30)....

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9.

9.

What was Jesus’ prediction regarding Peter’s denial? “Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Matt. xxvi, 34). “Before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice” (Mark xiv, 30)....

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10.

10.

What was the color of the robe placed on Jesus during his trial? “And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe” (Matt. xxvii, 28). “And they put on him a purple robe” (John xix, 2)....

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11.

11.

At what time during the day was he crucified? “And it was the third hour [9 A.M. ], and they crucified him” (Mark xv, 25). “And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour [noon].... Then delivered he him unto them to be crucified” (John xix, 14, 16)....

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12.

12.

What did they give him to drink? “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall” (Matt. xxvii, 34). “They gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh” (Mark xv, 23)....

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13.

13.

Did both thieves revile him on the cross? “And they that were crucified with him reviled him” (Mark xv, 32). “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him.... But the other answering rebuked him” (Luke xxiii, 39, 40)....

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14.

14.

Certain words were inscribed on the cross; what were these words? “The King of the Jews” (Mark xv, 26). “ This is the King of the Jews” (Luke xxiii, 38). “ This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (Matt. xxvii, 37). “ Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews” (John xix, 19)....

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15.

15.

Was it lawful for the Jews to put Jesus to death? “The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death” (John xviii, 31). “The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die” (John xix, 7)....

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16.

16.

What women visited the sepulchre on the morning of the resurrection? “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene, early when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre” (John xx, 1). “In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre” (Matt. xxviii, 1). “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre.... It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of

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17.

17.

At what time in the morning did they visit the tomb? “At the rising of the sun” (Mark xvi, 2). “When it was yet dark” (John xx, 1)....

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18.

18.

Whom did they see at the tomb? “The angel” (Matt. xxviii, 2). “A young man” (Mark xvi, 5). “Two men” (Luke xxiv, 4). “Two angels” (John xx, 12)....

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19.

19.

Where did Jesus first appear to his disciples? “Then said Jesus unto them [the women], Be not afraid; go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.... Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted” (Matt. xxviii, 10, 16, 17). “And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, say

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20.

20.

In this chapter will be presented some passages from Paul and the other Apostles pertaining to their writings, their teachings, and their characters, which affect the credibility of the remaining books of the New Testament. It is popularly supposed that Jesus and his twelve Apostles formulated the doctrines of Christianity and founded the Christian church. Paul was the real author of this religion and the founder of the church. “Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he had

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1.

1.

The conversion of Paul is described as follows: “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts ix, 3–5). This was simply a hallucination; and upon this hallucination of the diseased mind of Paul the whole system of Christian theology is based....

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2.

2.

The effect of Paul’s miraculous conversion upon his companions is thus related: “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless” (Acts ix, 7). “We were all fallen to the earth” (xxvi, 14)....

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3.

3.

“And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice , but seeing no man” (Acts ix, 7). “And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me” (xxii, 9)....

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4.

4.

After his conversion Acts states that “straight-way he preached Christ in the synagogues” (ix, 20) at Damascus; that when, soon after, the Jews sought to kill him he escaped and went immediately to Jerusalem; that “Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles” (27); “And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem” (28). Paul denies this. Referring to his conversion he says: “Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apost

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5.

5.

Paul declares that his mission was to the Gentiles alone. “I am the Apostle of the Gentiles” (Rom. xi, 13). “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles” (xv, 16). According to Acts (ix, 20–22; xiii, 5, 14–43; xiv, 1; xvii, 1, 2, 10; xviii, 4, 19; xxviii, 17), from the beginning to the end of his ministry, he was continually preaching in the synagogues to the Jews....

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6.

6.

While Paul proclaims himself the apostle to the Gentiles he declares that Peter’s mission was confined to the Jews. “The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter” (Gal. ii, 7). Peter contends that his mission was to the Gentiles. “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of th

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7.

7.

The chief of Paul’s theological teachings is Justification by Faith alone. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Gal. ii, 16). “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (21). “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without t

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8.

8.

The two great miracles of the Gospels are the immaculate conception and the bodily resurrection of Jesus. The Evangelists teach the doctrine of the immaculate conception. Paul and Peter declare Jesus to be simply a man. Paul: “The man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. ii, 5). Peter: “A man approved of God” (Acts ii, 22)....

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9

9

The Evangelists teach the resurrection of the natural body—a body of flesh and blood. Paul teaches a spiritual resurrection only. “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. xv, 44). “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (50)....

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10.

10.

Paul both affirms and denies the immortality of man: “Glory and honor and immortality ” (Rom. ii, 7). “This mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. xv, 53). “The King of kings, and Lord of lords [Christ]; who only hath immortality” (1 Tim. vi, 15, 16)....

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11.

11.

Paul: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Gal. iii, 24, 25). “But now we are delivered from the law” (Rom. vii, 6). Jesus: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law.... I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law” (Matt. v, 17, 18)....

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12.

12.

“We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, ... and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds” (1 Thes., iv, 15–17). Paul believed that Christ had appeared to him. It was a delusion. He expected Christ to come again. He was mistaken....

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13.

13.

The following is an example of Paul’s reasoning: “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not; but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If, therefore, the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there cometh in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convi

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14.

14.

The following passage of seven verses from Paul (Rom. iii, 12–18) is borrowed from six different chapters of the Old Testament. Is it a medley of misquotations, or a mosaic of plagiarisms? “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips. “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. “Their feet are swift to sh

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15.

15.

“His mouth is full of cursing and deceit” (Ps. x, 7). “Their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed innocent blood” (Is. lix, 7). “Wasting and destruction are in their paths” (Ibid ) . “The way of peace they know not” (8). “There is no fear of God before his eyes” (Ps. xxxvi, 1). The following words are ascribed to Jesus by Paul: “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts xx, 85). No such words are to be found in the recorded sayin

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16.

16.

“Who his [Christ’s] own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter ii, 24). The Epistles of Peter are devoted largely to Christ’s suffering and death, but no mention is made of his crucifixion. The words “cross” and “crucify” are not to be found in them. In Acts Peter speaks of Jesus’ death as follows: “Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree” (v, 30). “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth ... whom they slew and hanged on a tree” (x, 38, 93)....

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17.

17.

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one” (1 John v, 7). This is the chief text relied upon to support the doctrine of the Trinity, and this text all Christian scholars admit to be a forgery....

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18.

18.

“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints” (Jude 14). Jude’s scriptural authority is an apocryphal book. Genesis, Chronicles, and Luke all agree that Enoch was not the seventh, but the sixth from Adam. “Adam ... begat ... Seth” (Gen. v, 3); “Seth ... begat Enos” (6); “Enos ... begat Cainan (9); “Cainan ... begat Mahalaleel” (12); “Mahalaleel ... begat Jared” (15); “Jared ... begat Enoch” (18). “Adam, Sheth, Enoch,

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19.

19.

“Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest” (Matt. xxvi, 69, 70). “And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man” (72). “Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man” (74). “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I [Paul] withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the

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20.

20.

“Him [Timothy] would Paul have to go with him, and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters” (Acts xvi, 3). “Thou seest, brother [Paul], how many thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are all zealous of the law.... Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; them take and purify thyself with them. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple” (Acts xxi, 20–26). Pau

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21.

21.

John impeaches the credibility of Paul and denounces him as a liar. Critics agree that portions of Revelation, including the following, are aimed directly at Paul: “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars” (ii, 2)....

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22.

22.

“And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Rev. xxii, 10). Among much that is unintelligible, the writer of Revelation clearly predicts the destruction of Rome (xvii, 16, 18); asserts that Nero, who was really dead, was yet alive (xiii, 3); proclaims the immediate coming of Christ (i, 7; xxii, 7, 12), the avenging of the persecuted prophets and apostles (xviii, 20), the binding of Satan for a thousand years (xx, 2), and the establishment o

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23.

23.

About one-half of the books of the Bible purport to be, to a considerable extent at least, historical. But from Genesis to Revelation there is scarcely a book which can be accepted as a reliable record of events. Nearly all of them abound with manifest absurdities, exaggerations, and contradictions. Their authors, for the most part, deal with matters concerning which the ancient profane historians take no cognizance; and this, in a measure, conceals their errors. But when they do refer to known

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1.

1.

“And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. Even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt” (Ex. xii, 37, 38, 41). “And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night.... And the children of Isra

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2.

2.

“Behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession” (Deut. xxxii, 49). In the twelfth chapter of Joshua is given a list of thirty-one kingdoms which were conquered by them. This was in the fifteenth century B.C. From this time forward they are represented as a mighty nation by Bible historians. Rameses III. overran Canaan and conquered it between 1280 and 1260 B.C. The Egyptian records give a list of all the tribes inhabiting it. The children of Israel—the Hebr

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3.

3.

1. “Elhanan, the son of Jair, the Bethlehemite, slew Goliath of Gath, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam” (2 Sam. xxi, 19, H. V.). 2. “Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam” (1 Chron. xx, 5). 3. “Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam” (2 Sam. xxi, 19, A. V.). The above are three versions of the same passag

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4.

4.

“And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, ... Behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, ... and my servants shall be with thy servants, and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants” (1 Kings v, 2, 5, 6). “And Solomon had three score and ten thousand that bare burdens, and four score thousand hewers in the mountains; beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred” (15, 16). “So was he seven years in building it” (vi, 38)

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5.

5.

“And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. And Abijah and his people slew them with great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men” (2 Chron. xiii, 16, 17). Five hundred thousand slain in one battle! At the battle of Gettysburg, one of the greatest battles of modern times, for three long days, two mighty armies of America engaged in deadly conflict, and when it was ended, the defeated army had less than five thousa

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6.

6.

“And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand” (2 Kings xv, 19). The king who reigned in Assyria at this time was Iva-lush. Assyria never had a king named Pul....

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7.

7.

“Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein” (Dan. v, 1, 2). “In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of

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8.

8.

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)... And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child” (Luke ii, 1–5). This cannot be accepted as historical for

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9.

9.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under” (Matt. ii, 16). The statement that Herod the Great, who was firmly established in his government, and who had full-grown male heirs to succeed him, was afraid that the babe of an obscure Nazareth carpenter would supplant him in his kingdom, is enough to cause a Covenanter to laugh on Sunday.

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10.

10.

“That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Matt. xxiii, 35). The divine historian ascribes these words to Jesus. Jesus was crucified, it is claimed, about 29 A.D. Zacharias was slain in 69 A.D. , forty years after the death of Jesus. Some contend that Jesus refers to the Zachariah mentioned in 2 Chronicles (xxiv, 20, 25). But this Zachariah was t

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11.

11.

“For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. “After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished” (Acts v, 36, 37). According to Acts the sedition of Theudas occurred before the taxing, which was about 6 A.D. It really occurred while Fadus was procurat

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12.

12.

“There is a beautiful harmony between the principles of science and the teachings of the Bible.”—Dr. Cheever. Bibliolaters, unacquainted with the principles of science, and scientists unacquainted with the teachings of the Bible, may accept this statement; those conversant with both cannot. In the Bible a thousand scientific errors may be found. The limits of this work preclude a presentation of them all. Enough will be given, however, to show that the teachings of the Bible conflict with the te

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Astronomy.

Astronomy.

“So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day” (Josh. x, 12, 13). “Behold, I [the Lord] will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees” (Isaiah xxxviii, 8). The Bible teaches the geocentric theory that the sun revolves around the earth; Science teaches the heliocentric theory that the earth revolves around the sun. Luther, accepting the Bible and rejecting

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Geology.

Geology.

Again, theologians claim that these six days were not six literal days, but six long epochs of time. The Rev. Moses Stuart, Professor of Sacred Literature in Andover Theological Seminary, one of the ablest Hebrew scholars, says: “When the sacred writer in Genesis i says, the first day, the second day, etc., there can be no possible doubt—none.... What puts this beyond all question in philology is that the writer says specifically, the evening and the morning were the first day, the second day, e

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Geography.

Geography.

Bible geography makes the Nile and the Euphrates both branches of the same river. “Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar” (John iv, 5). Samaria contained no city of this name. “These things were done in Bethany beyond Jordan” (John i, 28, New Ver.). Bethany was a suburb of Jerusalem and not located beyond the Jordan. “He departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan” (Matt. xix, 1). The dead sea and the Jordan formed the eastern boundary of Judea, a

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Botany.

Botany.

“He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it” (Is. xliv, 14). Not in Western Asia, for the tree does not grow there. Bible commentators believe that the pine is meant. The authors of Genesis (xxx, 37) and Ezekiel (xxxi, 8) both mention the chestnut-tree. But it is admitted that the chestnut did not grow where they stated. Referring to this error, Smith’s Bible Dictionary says: “The ‘plane-tree’ ought probably to have been substituted. The context of the passages where the word occurs indica

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Zoology.

Zoology.

“Every one of the four instances or illustrations brought forward by the Biblical writer is necessarily erroneous; any attempt at defending them implies an impotent struggle against Science.”—Dr. Kalisch. Scarcely less erroneous are the following passages: “And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls: ... the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing and the bat . “All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. “Yet these may ye eat

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Ethnology.

Ethnology.

“Let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech” (Gen. xi, 7). The origin of the various languages of men is here attributed to a miraculous confusion of tongues. Science shows that languages had no such origin. Renan says: “Far from placing unity at the beginning of language, it is necessary to look at such a unity as the slow and tardy result of an advanced civilization. In the beginning there were as many dialects as families.” This Bible

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Physiology.

Physiology.

“Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit” (Mark v, 8). “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James v, 15). Attributing the pains of parturition to a curse, recording the generation of a child without a natural father, ascribing nervous and other disorders to demons, and healing the sick by prayer are Biblical, but not scientific. “And all the first-born males [of Israel] ... were twenty and two thousand two hundred and three score and thirteen” (Num. iii, 43). As the population of Isra

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Chemistry.

Chemistry.

“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood, to destroy all flesh” (Gen. ix, 13–15). The Bible writer did not know that it was the refraction and reflection of the sun’s rays on the drops of wate

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Physics.

Physics.

“And the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were as a wall unto them on the right hand, and on their left” (Ex. xiv, 21, 22). A fundamental principle of hydrostatics is the following: “When a pressure is exerted on any part of the surface of a liquid, that pressure is transmitted undiminished to all parts of the mass, and in all directions.” “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and t

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Mathematics.

Mathematics.

To assert that the Bible is in harmony with the teachings of Modern Science is to assert that no advancement has been made in Science for two thousand years, when all know that many of the most marvelous scientific discoveries are less than two hundred years old. The scientific attainments of Bible writers were not above those of the age and country in which they lived, and probably far below; for the Bible is largely the work of theologians, and theologians have ever been behind their age in sc

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1.

1.

“For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar [Nebuchadnezzar], king of Babylon.... With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrison shall go down to the ground. And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise.... And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it

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2.

2.

“Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap” (Isaiah xvii, 1). This prophecy was spoken nearly twenty-seven hundred years ago, and yet during all these centuries Damascus has flourished, and is to-day the most prosperous city of Western Asia....

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3.

3.

“And I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the borders of Ethiopia. No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years” (Ezekiel xxix, 10, 11). This and a score of other prophecies concerning Egypt have never been fulfilled....

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4.

4.

“For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land” (Amos vii, 11). Jeroboam did not not die by the sword, and Israel was not led away captive, as predicted. “And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus and Hamath

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5.

5.

“Thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David; and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat and in the night to the frost” (Jeremiah xxxvi, 30). This prophecy was not fulfilled. “So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings xxiv, 6)....

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6.

6.

“And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years” (Jeremiah xxv, 11). It is now conceded by all critics that the book of Jeremiah, as a whole, was not composed before the Captivity. But even if these words were uttered before the Captivity, they are fatal to the claim of Bible inerrancy; for either the prophecy was not fulfilled, or Bible history is false. According to the historical books of the Bible, the Captivity

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7.

7.

“And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other” (Deut. xxviii, 64). These words were uttered, not as a prophecy, but as a warning or threat. If they obey the Lord’s statutes a long list of blessings are promised; if they do not obey them, a hundred evils are threatened, among which is the one quoted. One of the most dreaded and one of the most common calamities in that age was the conquest or dispersion of one tribe or nation by another. In a

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8.

8.

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah vii, 14). This is cited as a prophecy of Jesus Christ. The only thing in it suggestive of the story of Jesus is the word “virgin.” The word thus translated, however, does not necessarily mean virgin in the common acceptation of this term, but simply “young woman,” either married or single. Correct this error and the text reads: “Behold, a young woman shall conceive, and bear a son.” All that is suggestive

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9.

9.

“I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer. xxiii, 5, 6). The correct rendering of this passage is as follows: “I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the land. In his days Judah

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10.

10.

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, ... until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Gen. xlix, 10). The meaning of Shiloh being somewhat obscure, it was made to apply to Christ. It is now known that Shiloh was the national sanctuary before the Jews occupied Jerusalem. A correct translation of the passage reads as follows: “The pre-eminence shall not depart from Judah so long as the people resort to Shiloh; and the nations shall obey him.” But even if the writer m

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11.

11.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be declared Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace” (Isaiah ix, 6). This passage, even if genuine, is not applicable to Jesus Christ. But it is not genuine. Professor Cheyne, the highest authority on Isaiah, pronounces it a forgery....

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12.

12.

“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks” (Daniel viii, 25). It is claimed that “week” here means a period of seven years, and assumed, of course, that by Messiah is meant Christ. Seven weeks and three score and two weeks are sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years, the time that was to elapse from the command to rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of Christ, if t

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13.

13.

“The days shall come, in the which there shall not be left one stone [of the temple] upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles” (Luke xxi, 6, 24). It has been shown that the books containing this so-called prophecy of Jesus were written one hundred years after the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem....

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14.

14.

“The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.... Verily I say unto you, That this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done” (Mark xiii, 24–26, 30). That generation did pass, and more than eighteen centuries have followed, and yet the Son of man has not come and these things have not been

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15.

15.

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet.... And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots” (Revelation xvii, 4, 5). Protestant churches have no difficulty in recognizing in this Mother of Harlots the Church of Rome, apparently forgetting that they are her daughters. The following, relative to Bible prophecies, is from the pen of William Rathbone Greg: “A prophecy, in the ordinary acceptation of the term, signifies a prediction of future even

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16.

16.

That curious volume of exaggerated fiction known as the Baron Munchausen stories has delighted many. Works of this character fill a legitimate place in literature. The humorists have contributed much to the health and happiness of mankind. A charming store of wit and humor of the Munchausen variety is to be found in the Bible. Here are a thousand and one stories as marvelous and amusing as are to be found in the whole realm of modern fiction. Unfortunately those who profess to value this book th

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The First Cutlet.

The First Cutlet.

A STORY CALCULATED TO PARALYZE A KENTUCKY COLONEL. The same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.... And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered (Gen. vii, 11, 12, 19, 20)....

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The Great Freshet.

The Great Freshet.

THE DOCTRINE OF PRENATAL INFLUENCES LAUGHABLY BURLESQUED. And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstreaked, speckled, and spotted

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Ringstreaked, Speckled, and Spotted.

Ringstreaked, Speckled, and Spotted.

MOSES TELLS, WITH A WINK, ABOUT THE STRONGEST GALE OF WIND KNOWN TO HISTORY. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left (Ex. xiv, 21, 22)....

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The Waters Were Divided.

The Waters Were Divided.

THE MODERN BIRD HUNTER WILL SAY: “I LOVE A LIAR, BUT THIS ONE SUITS ME TOO WELL!” And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gather

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Quails!!!

Quails!!!

“WINE IS A MOCKER, STRONG DRINK IS RAGING.” And the Lord said unto him [Moses], What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand (Ex. iv, 2–4). And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much

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Three Good Snake Stories.

Three Good Snake Stories.

INCLUDING, AMONG OTHERS, ONE VERY LOUSY TRICK. And he [Aaron] lifted up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of the servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood (Ex. vii, 20). And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt (viii, 6). Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and in beast; al

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More of Aaron’s Tricks.

More of Aaron’s Tricks.

“IS NOT THIS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF JASHER?” And he [Joshua] said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day (Josh. x, 12, 13)....

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The Sun Stood Still.

The Sun Stood Still.

AS DESCRIBED BY THE HUMORIST WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF JUDGES. And he [Samson] found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. And Samson said , With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of an ass have I slain a thousand men (Judges xv, 15, 16). And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he had set the brands on fir

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Samson’s Feats.

Samson’s Feats.

REMARKS OF A QUADRUPED THAT STOOD ON HER RECORD. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.... And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee that thou hast smitten me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were

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The Loquacious Ass.

The Loquacious Ass.

EDIFYING TALE OF A BALDHEADED MAN, SOME NAUGHTY CHILDREN, AND TWO BEARS. And he [Elisha] went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead. And he turned back and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them (2 Kings ii, 23, 24)....

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A Bear Story.

A Bear Story.

HOW A PROPHET’S WHISKERS TICKLED A SHAMMING KID AND BROUGHT HIM OUT OF HIS TRANCE. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. And he went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and he stretched himself upon the child: and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walke

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The Boy Sneezed.

The Boy Sneezed.

THREE OF SATAN’S SUBJECT ASTONISH THE OFFICIALS OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. These men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.... And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counselors , being gathered together, saw these men upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them (Dan. iii, 19, 21

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Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

A DIVERTING YARN, CALCULATED TO CAUSE MUCH MERRIMENT AMONG THE MARINES. Then they said unto him [Jonah], What shall we do unto thee that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought and was tempestuous. And he said unto them, Take me up and cast me forth in the sea.... So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea; and the sea ceased from her raging.... Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and nights.... And th

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Take Me Up.

Take Me Up.

A TIMELY DREAM SAVES THE REPUTATION OF A YOUNG WOMAN. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband being a just man, and not wishing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto the

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The Confiding Husband.

The Confiding Husband.

INTERESTING APPLICATION OF HYPNOTISM BY WHICH A MULTITUDE WERE CONVINCED THAT THEY HAD DINED. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled; and they took up the fragments that remai

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They Did Eat and Were Filled.

They Did Eat and Were Filled.

JESUS APPRISES THE BROTHER OF MARTHA THAT THE JOKE HAS BEEN CARRIED FAR ENOUGH. When Jesus came, he found that he [Lazarus] had lain in the grave four days already.... Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.... He [Jesus] cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth. And he that

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Lazarus Come Forth.

Lazarus Come Forth.

The Bible, it is claimed, is the word of God—a revelation from God to man. It was written or inspired by God, and deals chiefly with God and his works. Who and what is this God of the Bible? What is the nature and character of this divine author? Is he omnipresent, or has he a local habitation merely? Is he omnipotent, or is he limited in power? Is he omniscient, or is his knowledge circumscribed? Is he immutable, or is he a changeable being? Is he visible and comprehensible, or is he invisible

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Is God Omnipresent?

Is God Omnipresent?

With God all things are possible (Matt. xix, 26). I know that thou canst do everything (Job xlii, 2). There is nothing too hard for thee (Jer. xxxii, 17). For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth (Rev. xix, 6). And the Lord was with Judah, and he [the Lord] drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron (Jud. i, 19)....

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Is God Omnipotent?

Is God Omnipotent?

God ... knoweth all things (1 John iii, 20) . The eyes of the Lord are in every place (Prov. xv, 3). He knoweth the secrets of the heart (Ps. xliv, 21). No thought can be withholden from thee (Job xlii, 2). The Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, ... to know what was in thine heart (Deut. viii, 2). God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart (2 Ch. xxxii, 31). The Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is

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Is He Omniscient?

Is He Omniscient?

I am the Lord, I change not (Mal. iii, 6). With whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James i, 17). My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips (Ps. lxxxix, 34). He is not a man that he should repent (1 Sam. xv, 29). I [God] am weary with repenting (Jer. xv, 6). It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth (Gen. vi, 6). The Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel (1 Sam. xv, 35). And God repented of the evil that he said he w

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Is He Immutable?

Is He Immutable?

The Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me forever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me (1 Sam. ii, 30). I have seen God face to face (Gen. xxxii, 30). And they saw the God of Israel (Ex. xxiv, 10). For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead (Rom. i, 20). No man hath seen God at any time (John i, 18). Whom n

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Is He Visible and Comprehensible?

Is He Visible and Comprehensible?

There is one God; and there is none other but he (Mark xii, 32). Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me (Is. xliii, 10). I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God (Is. xliv, 6). Thou shalt not revile the gods (Ex. xxii, 28). And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us (Gen. iii, 22). Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? (Ex. xv, 11). Among the gods, there is none like unto thee, O Lord (Ps. lxxxvi, 8). The Lord is a

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Is There One God Only?

Is There One God Only?

“There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions.”— Thirty-nine Articles. Compare the above conception of Deity with the anthropomorphic character of God portrayed in the following one hundred passages: God created man in his own image (Gen. i, 27). The hair of his [God’s] head (Dan. vii, 9). Thou canst not see my [God’s] face (Ex. xxxiii, 20). The eyes of the Lord run to and fro (2 Ch. xvi, 9). And his [God’s] ears are open (1 Pet. iii, 12). These are a smoke

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In What Form Does God Exist?

In What Form Does God Exist?

That proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matt. iv, 4). His [God’s] lips are full of indignation (Is. xxx, 27). And his [God’s] tongue as a devouring fire (Ibid). He shall dwell between his [God’s] shoulders (Deut. xxxiii, 12). Thou [God] hast a mighty arm (Ps. lxxxix, 13). The right hand of the Lord (Ps. cxviii, 16). This is the finger of God (Ex. viii, 19). I [God] will show them the back (Jer. xviii, 17). Out of thy [God’s] bosom (Ps. lxxiv, 11). My [God’s] heart maketh a noise in me (Jer. iv,

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What is Morality?

What is Morality?

The Ten Commandments in the Old Testament and the Sermon on the Mount, including the Golden Rule, in the New, are supposed to comprise the best moral teachings of the Bible. They are declared to be so far superior to all other moral codes as to preclude the idea of human origin. The Decalogue is a very imperfect moral code; not at all superior to the religious and legislative codes of other ancient peoples. The last six of these commandments, while not above criticism, are in the main just, and

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Bible Codes.

Bible Codes.

The noblest types of manhood, like Bruno, Spinoza, Paine, and Ingersoll, have been slandered, anathematized, and slain by Christians, while the gods, the heroes, the patriarchs, the prophets, and the priests of the Bible have been presented as the highest models of moral excellence. Of these, Jehovah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Paul, and Christ are represented as the greatest and the best. Who was Jehovah? “A being of terrific character—cruel, vindictive, capricious, and unjust.”—Jefferson. W

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Bible Models.

Bible Models.

“He led The crowd, he taught them justice, truth, and peace, In semblance; but he lit within their souls The quenchless flames of zeal, and blessed the sword He brought on earth to satiate with the blood Of truth and freedom his malignant soul.” —Shelley. In the modern and stricter sense of the term, morality is scarcely taught in the Bible. Neither moral , morals , and morality , nor their equivalents, ethical and ethics , are to be found in the book. T. B. Wakeman, president of the Liberal Uni

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Immoral Teachings of the Bible.

Immoral Teachings of the Bible.

I refuse to accept the Bible as a moral guide because it sanctions lying and deception. “And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and

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Lying.

Lying.

“And the Lord said unto Samuel, ... fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Would an omnipotent and a just God use falsehood and deceit? If there be such a God we must believe that he is an honest and a truthful Being. But this God of the Bible violates nearly

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Cheating.

Cheating.

patriarch stands forth the prince of cheats—the patron saint of rogues. The Israelites obtain the Egyptians’ property by false pretenses. “And I [God] will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall come to pass that when ye go, ye shall not go empty; but every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil [rob]

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Stealing.

Stealing.

“When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor’s standing corn” (Deut. xxiii, 24, 25). “Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry” (Prov. vi, 30). Grand larceny is condemned, but petty larceny is commended. Christ enjoined submission to robbery: “Of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again” (Luke vi, 30). I refuse to accept the Bible as a mor

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Murder.

Murder.

Jehu murders all the house of Ahab, and God rewards him for it: “And Joram turned his hands and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart and he sunk down in his chariot. “But when Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so. “And when Jehu was com

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War.

War.

And this is but a prelude to the sanguinary scenes that are to follow. “Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon; behold I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.” “And we took all his ci

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Human Sacrifices.

Human Sacrifices.

“And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.” When I dwell on this dark tragedy, and contrast the love and devotion of this agonized and despairing Hebrew mother with the malignant hatred and heartless cruelty of this Bible God and his despicable agent, humanity rises to the high

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Cannibalism.

Cannibalism.

The church perpetuates the idea, if not the practice, of cannibalism. The Christian takes a piece of bread, and tries to make himself and the world believe that he is eating the body of Christ; he takes a sup of wine, and says, “This is Christ’s blood.” Your sacramental feast points to the time when savage priests gathered around the festal board and supped on human flesh and blood. Primitive Christians, many of them, were guilty of cannibalism. In their Agapae they were accustomed to kill and e

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Witchcraft.

Witchcraft.

“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Ex. xxii, 18). “A man also or a woman that hath a familial spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death” (Lev. xx, 27). Oh, that I could bring to view the suffering and death these texts have caused! Millions have died because of them. One thousand were burned at Como in one year; 800 were burned at Würzburg in one year; 500 perished at Geneva in three months; 80 were burned in a single village of Savoy; nine women were burned in a single fir

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Slavery.

Slavery.

Nor is it the Jewish Scriptures alone which sanction slavery. The Christian Scriptures are not less emphatic in their indorsement of it. “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor” (1 Tim. vi, 1). “Exhort servants to be obedient unto their masters” (Titus ii, 9). “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling” (Eph. vi, 5). “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good a

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Polygamy.

Polygamy.

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart”—sufficient to hold a thousand wives and concubines. Many years ago the Mormon, Orson Pratt, wrote a defense of polygamy, based upon the Bible. A noted lawyer of New York sent a copy of it to the Rev. Dr. W. B. Sprague with the interrogation, “Can you answer this?” Back came the frank reply, “No; can you?” It is claimed that the New Testament is opposed to polygamy. It is not. William Ellery Channing says: “The

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Adultery.

Adultery.

Luther might with equal truthfulness have said, “There is nothing unusual in priests and preachers keeping concubines,” and he might have helped to confirm it by a few leaves from his own private history. In a letter to his confidential friend, Spalatin, he confessed to numerous adulteries. God instructs his prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute. He subsequently commands him to love and hire an adulteress (Hosea i, 2, 3; iii, 1, 2). Christ forgave the woman taken in adultery, while his favorite fe

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Obscenity.

Obscenity.

Richard Lalor Shiel, M. P . , and Privy Counselor to the Queen, thus wrote: “Part of the Holy Writings consist of history, and the narration of facts of a kind that cannot be mentioned in the presence of a virtuous woman without exciting horror. Shall a woman be permitted to read in her chamber what she would tremble to hear at her domestic board? Shall she con over and revolve what she would rather die than utter?” And if unfit for the perusal of a matured woman, shall innocent childhood be pol

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Intemperance.

Intemperance.

“Wine which cheereth God and man” (Jud. ix, 13). “In the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering” (Num. xxviii, 7). Will that wing of the Prohibition army which accepts the Bible as its guide inscribe these texts upon its banner? As a reward for the Jews keeping the judgments of the Lord he was to bless their wine (Deut. vii, 13). Liberal giving to the Lord was to be rewarded with an abundance of wine. “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and wi

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Vagrancy.

Vagrancy.

To-day our land is infested with an army of tramps. Their skirmishers are deployed along every highway; their points of attack are the kitchen and the haymow; their text-book on military science is the Sermon on the Mount. “They sow not, neither do they reap;” “They toil not, neither do they spin. ” They beg and steal. These are Christ’s followers—the truest followers he has on earth to-day. In the streets of our cities we see men clad in rags, idle, and drunken, and penniless. We see them arres

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Ignorance.

Ignorance.

Education, physical, moral, and intellectual, is discouraged. Bodily exercise profiteth little. — Paul. Be not righteous overmuch. — Solomon. Neither make thyself over wise. — Solomon. Choice mottoes, the above, to hang up on the walls of the school-room! “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy” (Col. ii, 8). “Knowledge puffeth up” (1 Cor. viii, 1). “Thy wisdom and thy knowledge it hath perverted thee” (Isa. xlvii, 10). “I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; I

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Injustice to Women.

Injustice to Women.

The teachings of the Bible respecting marriage are an insult to every married woman. Christ discouraged marriage (Matt. xix, 10–12), while a more despicable dissertation on marriage than Paul gives in the seventh chapter of 1 Corinthians was never penned. In contracting matrimonial alliances, woman’s rights and choice are not consulted. The father does his daughter’s courting, and sells or gives her to whom he pleases. A father is even allowed to sell his daughter for a slave (Ex. xxi, 7). In th

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Unkindness to Children.

Unkindness to Children.

“If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his mother, and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them; then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place.... And all the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he die” (Deut. xxi, 18, 19, 21). It advocates the indiscriminate and merciless slaughter of little children: “Their children also shall be dashed

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Cruelty to Animals.

Cruelty to Animals.

“What was his high pleasure in The fumes of scorching flesh and smoking blood, To the pain of the bleating mothers, which Still yearned for their dead offspring? or the pangs Of the sad ignorant victim underneath The pious knife?” —Byron. A God of mercy, it would seem, ought to protect the weaker orders of his creation; but the God of the Bible manifests an utter disregard for them. When the being created in his own image proved too true a copy, and he wished to destroy it, he sent a deluge, “an

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Tyranny.

Tyranny.

“If a Being who cannot lie penned the Bible, then George Washington and every soldier who drew sword in the Republic’s armies for liberty expiate, at this moment, in hell-fire, the punishment of their ungodly strife! There, too, John Hancock and every patriot whose name stands to America’s Title Deed, have taken their places with the devil and his angels! All resisted the power; all, unless God lie, have received to themselves damnation” (Bacheler-Owen Debate, Vol. II., page 230). From the first

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Intolerance.

Intolerance.

“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire” (Matt. xxv, 41). “These shall go away into everlasting punishment” (Matt. xxv, 46). “Cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched” (Mark ix, 45). These passages ought to consign to everlasting abhorrence the being who uttered them, the book containing them, and the church indorsing them. This dogma of endless punishment is the dogma of fiends, the most infamous dogma that human lips have ever breathed! What needless terror it has i

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CHAPTER XXXIV. CONCLUSION.

CHAPTER XXXIV. CONCLUSION.

Bible apologists tell us that it is only in this book that wrongdoers confess and record their sins, and that this is evidence of its divinity. Were this true we might say that the Bible is the only book whose authors are so devoid of shame as to parade their sins. But this claim is not true. It was not the sinners who wrote these accounts of their sins any more than it is the criminals to-day who write and publish the accounts of their crimes. Bible lands, we are told, are more moral than other

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APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

5. Not given to man until at a late period in his existence. This is an argument advanced by Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon rejected the Bible. He said that if it had been given to man at the creation he might have accepted it, but that its late appearance proved to him that it was of human origin. 6. Not given as a guide to all mankind, but only to an insignificant portion of it. Not only has the Bible been confined to a small period of man’s existence, it is nearly all addressed to one small rac

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